Scholarship details

Funding Body:

University of Sydney

Title:

Postgraduate Scholarship in Basin Dynamics

Research Areas:

Sciences & Engineering

Type

Postgraduate Research

Description:

Applications are invited for a PhD scholarship in Plate Tectonics/ Geodynamics/ Morphodynamics working with members of the Basin Genesis Hub (an ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub) within the EarthByte Group at the School of Geosciences, The University of Sydney.

This PhD project focuses on understanding long-term landscape evolution through the interaction between mantle, plate tectonic and surface processes. The scientific rationale underpinning this project is based on understanding landscape evolution in a geodynamic, tectonic, and climatic context and is the key for unlocking economic resources including oil and gas resources, placer deposits and geothermal energy.

The position will focus on building 3D thermal-mechanical models (via the Underworld software), in a well-constrained paleogeography framework (via GPlates), and on linking them to mantle convection (via CitcomS), and to surface processes (via the Badlands surface process modeling code currently under development). The robustness of these models will be iteratively improved through a comparison to geological observations, such as basin stratigraphy, and data constraining rock uplift and subsidence.

Eligibility:

Successful candidates must have:

• An undergraduate degree and an MSc or Honours degree in geology or geophysics

• An interest in carrying out research at the interface between geophysics, geology and geomorphology